


Be Me

by castielshoneybee



Series: Be Me 'verse [1]
Category: Supernatural, Supernatural RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Ex-husband drama, F/M, First Dates, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Hurt/Comfort, No wife, RPF, Reader's ex is a narcissist, Rob is adorable, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2018-01-24
Packaged: 2019-02-09 02:32:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,499
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12878307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/castielshoneybee/pseuds/castielshoneybee
Summary: Reader wins a charity auction for lunch with Rob Benedict. Sure, he's a rock star and God and all, but can she get to know the real him?Primary story of the Be Me 'verse





	1. And It Feels So Good Right Now

**Author's Note:**

> This story may contain triggers for emotional and physical abuse (not from Rob!) I promise it has a happy ending, though.

“Stop second guessing! You look great!” Your best friend Lily sat on your bed, admonishing you for rethinking your outfit yet again. You couldn't help it. You looked in the mirror one more time. 

“Are you sure? I want to look casual, but nice at the same time.”

“And you do! Go! You don't want to be late!” She was right. You needed to get out the door if you wanted to get to the restaurant on time. 

“Okay, okay! Thanks for letting me borrow your jacket, Lils. I'll return it tonight and tell you all about it!”

“Ya better!” You grabbed your purse and chuckled as you headed out the door. 

****

Your stomach was a mess of knots as you pulled into the parking lot. You’d won a charity auction, and you were going to have lunch with Rob Benedict. Everything you knew about him indicated that he was a nice guy, and the time you met him at a Louden Swain show when you'd first moved to LA he'd been very sweet and gracious, but you were still scared. This was one on one time for like an hour, not a few minutes in a room full of people who all wanted his attention. What if you said something really stupid and insulted him or something? You parked, checked your hair, took a deep breath, and climbed out of your car. You turned toward the restaurant as a car door slammed behind you. You jumped a little and turned toward the sound.

“I'm so sorry! Did I startle you?” Impossible blue eyes met yours. It was him. 

“Oh, no! Well, yes, a little. It's okay, though. Actually, it's kind of funny, because I'm your lunch date. Coincidence, huh?” Wow, you sounded like a total dork. 

“Oh, hey, cool! I'm Rob." He paused, and his expression said he was mentally slapping himself on the forehead. “You knew that though, huh?” You couldn't help but giggle a little as you introduced yourself. You walked toward the restaurant together. “Your face is familiar. Have we met?” Did he really remember you?

“Yeah, actually. We met a few months ago at the Louden Swain show at the Viper Room."

“Oh, yeah! You'd just moved to the city, right?” Holy, crap, he did remember you!

“Yep, that was me!” You'd arrived at the door of the restaurant and stopped on the sidewalk. You looked in the window, then down at your jeans and Pink Floyd t-shirt. The jacket dressed it up a little, but not nearly enough for this place.

“Hey, you okay?” His eyes were concerned, and he put a hand on your shoulder. 

“I think I'm kind of underdressed.” Rob looked at your outfit, then down at his own jeans, CBGB t-shirt, and jacket as a man in a business suit and a woman in a very posh designer dress passed you and went into the restaurant. 

“Huh. Me too.” He paused, considering. “Hey, I didn't pick this place. The stroke association got the meal donated. You wanna go get a burger or something?”

“More than you can possibly imagine.” He laughed, grabbed your hand, and dragged you back to the parking lot. He unlocked his car. 

“Hop in. No sense taking two.” You climbed in the passenger seat, and in a few moments you were on the road. “Any place in mind?”

“I'd be fine with In N Out to be perfectly honest with you." His face lit up. 

“Yeah? Done!” He swung around the block and turned you in the other direction. “So, thanks for bidding in the auction.”

“It was my pleasure! I had a bit of a windfall recently, and I wanted to donate some of it, so when I read about the auction I thought, hey, worthy cause and getting to have lunch with one of my favorite musicians? Absolutely!” He looked a little embarrassed as he pulled into the In N Out parking lot. 

“Not ‘I get to have lunch with Chuck Shurley?’”

“No! I mean, you're a good actor, and you're great on the show, but I really love your music.”

“Wow, thanks. That's really nice of you.” You both climbed out of the car, went into the restaurant, which was not surprisingly packed, and got in line. You made casual small talk as you waited in line, and eventually it was your turn at the counter. 

“I'll have a double double, animal style fries, and a drink.” Rob looked at the menu board.

“I don't know why I always look at the menu. I always get the same thing. Double double animal style, fries, and a drink." You reached for your wallet. “Hey, what are you doing?”

“Paying for my lunch? This wasn’t the original plan, so...”

“You're right, but it was my suggestion. You paid enough to have lunch with me. The least I can do is buy you a burger.” He handed a couple of bills to the girl at the counter. 

“Thank you."

“My pleasure." You grabbed your drinks and found a table to wait for your food.

****

“So far I like living in LA. The traffic sucks, but overall it's pretty cool. There's a lot more to do than where I come from. I still feel like a tourist most of the time.” The conversation had come easily, and you found yourself more and more at ease in Rob's company. He seemed more comfortable too. You picked up your burger to take a bite as his hand snaked across the table and grabbed one of your fries. You dropped your burger and pretended to slap his hand. “Hey! You have your own!”

“Yeah, but yours are animal style! I just wanted one!”

“You could've gotten yours that way!”

“I got my burger that way. I'd feel like a pig if I got them both like that.” His smile was sheepish and made you grin. You picked your burger back up and took a bite. 

****

You sat in companionable silence as Rob drove. You glanced over at him as he sat straighter in his seat. 

“Hey, do you have to get back right now?” He looked like he had an idea.

“No, I have plans with a friend tonight, but that's it.” He smiled as he made a turn and pulled into a parking lot.

“I'm meeting Rich for a writing session later, but I've got some time too. Come on. We're playing mini golf.” You grinned.

“Oh, you don't know what you've just gotten yourself into, Benedict. Prepare to be destroyed.”

****

“Okay, so, the final tally is...me winning and you losing.” You waved the scorecard in the air as Rob put your putters back on the counter. 

“Nuh uh! Lemme see that!” He grabbed the card from your hand, doing the math in his head as you walked back to his car. “Dammit! I thought I had it."

“Told you I'd destroy you.”

“A two stroke win is not destruction!” He pulled out of the lot to take you back to your car. You couldn't stop smiling, and when you glanced at Rob, you saw the same expression mirrored on his face. 

“I had a lot of fun today.”

“Me too. I'm glad you won the auction." He pulled into the lot where you were parked. The ride back hadn’t taken long enough. You sighed, reluctant to leave the car. 

“Hey, what's wrong?”

“I was really nervous coming into this today because I was having lunch with ‘Rob Benedict,’ guy who writes and sings amazing songs and played God on t.v. I've really enjoyed getting to know Rob Benedict, guy who steals fries and sucks at mini golf.”

“Two strokes! If I suck, so do you!”

“Well, maybe not sucks.” You smiled. “Anyway, I really like that Rob, and I guess I'm a little sad that it’s over.” He was quiet for a minute. Crap. Was that too much? Did you creep him out? When he spoke, his voice was soft. 

“It doesn't have to be." Your heart stopped for a second. He put his hand over yours on the center console. Your skin tingled where he was touching it.

“It doesn't?”

“No, I've really enjoyed getting to know you too. Maybe you could give me your number?” His smile was shy, as if he wasn't sure what you'd say. You answered by grabbing his phone from the console and handing it to him. His grin lit up the car as he unlocked the phone and opened the contacts. You took it, put in your number, and handed it back. He looked at the screen and laughed. 

“Goddess of Windmills? I am so getting a rematch."

“You're on!” You sat and grinned at each other for what felt like forever but was probably only a few seconds. Suddenly, he leaned over and planted a soft kiss on your lips. He pulled away slightly, waiting for your reaction, lips only inches from yours. You closed the gap, parting your lips slightly when they met his. He took the invitation and dipped his tongue into your mouth. The kissed deepened. His hand moved to tangle in your hair as your tongues and lips mingled, exploring, tasting. You were both breathless when the kiss ended. He sighed.

“I gotta go. I have to meet Rich in half an hour. I'm probably going to be late.”

“I'm sorry!” He put his palm against your cheek. 

“Not your fault, and totally worth it. He'll get over it. Come on. I'll walk you to your car.” You climbed out and walked around to your door. He wrapped his arms around your waist as you rested yours on his shoulders. His hands felt so warm and strong, and right. He was only a couple inches taller than you, so you barely had to tilt your head up to kiss him. It was like you were made to fit together. This kiss was short, too short, but his lips still burned yours like a brand. “So, I'll call you tomorrow?”

“Absolutely. I'll talk to you then.” He pecked your lips one final time, then let go of you. He gave you a little wave as he got into his car. You watched him back out of his parking space, then opened your own door, getting in and sitting for a few minutes, remembering the day. Finally you pulled out and turned onto street, using the drive to mentally prepare yourself for the freak out your best friend was sure to have when you told her what had happened.


	2. Could It Be This Good Right Now?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader and Rob go on their second date.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut!

Your phone pinged a few minutes before you pulled into your place. You parked and picked it up. It was probably Lily wondering what happened and where you'd been most of the day. Unknown Number.

_Hey, it's Rob. I know I said I'd call you tomorrow, but I just wanted to say again how much fun I had today, and I was wondering. What are you doing on Saturday?_

Your stomach flip flopped.

_No plans. Did you have something in mind?_

_Lunch again?_

Your smile was so big it felt like your face would break. 

_Absolutely!_

_Awesome, text me your address, and I'll pick you up. Noon?_

You sent him your address and got out of the car. You were barely in the door before Lily was running up to you.

“Where have you been? It's been hours! How was the lunch?” You told her the whole story, laughing at the memories of the funnier moments.

“Oh, my God! He kissed you?” You nodded. 

“Twice, and... he asked me to go out on Saturday.”

“No way!” She paused, then giggled a little. “You bought a boyfriend at a charity auction!” You hadn't thought about it that way, and in a second, you were both laughing. 

“Can you imagine if we had kids one day? ‘Mom, how did you meet Dad?’ Oh, I bought him!” Once your giggles subsided, Lily looked at you very seriously. 

“Is he a good kisser?” You grinned. 

“Yes, yes he is.”

**** 

You paced the floor. What if he decided he didn't like you after all and decided not to show?

“Relax! He'll show! He didn't even wait an hour after your first date was over before he was texting you. He likes you!” You paused in your pacing.

“How did you know what I was thinking?”

“I'm your best friend. It's my job.” The doorbell rang. Your heart skipped a beat. “I'll get it!” Lily popped merrily up off the couch. You ran and put yourself between her and the door. 

“Don't you dare! You know what? Can you go in your room? Please?” Lily huffed a little. 

“Fine. As long as you promise I get to meet him next time.”

“I promise! Go!” She marched off to her room, but you knew she was going to be peeking. Ah, well. At least she wouldn't be right there making you even more nervous. You grabbed your purse, turned around, and opened the door. He stood there, shifting his weight and looking as nervous as you felt. He was wearing faded black jeans, a gray button up, and his brown leather jacket. He looked so handsome you wanted to just grab him and start kissing him. Instead, you stepped toward him, the door shutting behind you. Ha! Try to see something now, Lils. You reached out and took his hand. “Hi.” A grin split his face, then he tugged you toward him a little and leaned in to place a soft kiss on your lips. He whispered. 

“Hi." You reached up and tangled the fingers of your free hand in his hair, pulling him toward you to kiss him again. The shift in momentum pushed you against the door, and Rob went with it, pressing his body against yours as the kiss deepened. His free hand reached up to grip your hip, palm splayed and fingers pressing. Your tongues explored one another's mouths, and heat pooled in your belly. You could feel his erection pressing against you, and it just made you even wetter. You didn't want it to end, but it had to. You reluctantly broke the kiss.

“We should probably go.” Your voice was husky. He stepped back a little, letting go of your hip, but not your hand. He cleared his throat. 

“Yeah, you're right.” His voice squeaked a little, and it was adorable. You walked hand in hand to his car. “You know, you don't live that far from me. I'm just up in the canyon.”

“Oh, cool. It's really beautiful up there.”

“Yeah, I like it.” Rob started the car and pulled out into the street. “So, I thought we'd go to Griffith Park and have a picnic.” You hated picnics, but you weren't about to tell him that.

“Well, I'm glad I wore jeans, then. I’d considered a sundress.” You noticed him cast a side glance up and down your form. 

“Next time, I'll definitely take you somewhere that's sundress appropriate.” The fact that he was already talking about a next time sent a little thrill through you. You chatted comfortably for the rest of the drive, telling little stories and learning about one another's lives. You arrived at the park and found a spot to put your blanket down. Rob set the basket down and started unpacking it while you sat and relaxed. He had sandwiches, a nice pasta salad, some fruit, and a bottle of wine. He handed you your plate, then set his on the blanket beside him so he could open the wine. Suddenly, a big, floppy golden retriever bounded up to you out of nowhere, pounced on the blanket, and stuck its face right in Rob's plate, gobbling his sandwich in one enormous bite.

“Fergus! Get back here!” Fergus’ harried owner came running up, broken leash in hand. “Oh, my gosh! I am so sorry! Bad dog!” Fergus just looked up and thumped his tail. Rob sighed, looking defeated. He scratched Fergus on the head. 

“It's okay." Fergus’ owner gathered him up, profusely apologizing. Rob reassured her again that it was fine, then she dragged him away, admonishing him for stealing people's food the entire time. You looked at Rob, and you both burst out into laughter. “This is why I hate picnics."

“If you hate picnics, why did you bring me on one?” His expression was sheepish. 

“I wanted to be romantic. Looks like that worked out well, huh?”

“If it makes you feel any better, I hate picnics too. It's just eating with dirt and bugs.”

“Right? Wait, why didn't you say something before?”

“I didn't want to ruin your plans. I was not about to be that girl who complains.” He shook his head.

“Let's make a deal. Let's stop worrying about what we should or shouldn't be. I'll just be me, and you be you.”

“Deal. So, wine?”

“Most definitely.” He opened the bottle and handed you a glass. You handed him half of your sandwich. “So, you were married?”

“Yeah, it was bad. I don't really want to get into it too much, but basically he became super jealous and controlling. I managed to get out. When the divorce was final, I moved here. I needed a fresh start.” He reached over and cupped your cheek in his hand. You leaned into his palm. Thinking about Jason was hard, and Rob's touch was so comforting.

“I'm so sorry you had to go through that, but I'm glad it brought you here.” His smile was warm. 

“Me too.” He inched over and closed the space between you, then leaned over to kiss you gently. You sipped your wine in companionable silence, sitting hip to hip with your legs stretched out in front of you. You finished what was left of the food, then worked together to pack everything away. After you dumped everything in the trunk, you decided to take a walk. Hand in hand, you wound your way along and eventually found yourselves alone on a stone bridge that crossed a small pond. You stopped and gazed over the water. Rob wrapped his arms around your waist and rested his chin on your shoulder. “Hey, Rob?”

“Yeah?”

“This right here? This is romantic.” You turned your head so you could see his face, and he captured your lips. You turned in his arms, wrapping yours around his neck. You clutched one another tightly as your tongues duelled. He broke the kiss and moved down to press his lips to your neck. Your head fell back, and the increased access allowed him to place a trail of kisses along your neck to your throat, stopping along the way to further explore the spots that made you groan. Wetness pooled between your legs. ”Wait.” Rob immediately stopped and pulled back to look into your eyes. Concern flooded his features. 

“Did I do something wrong? Am I going too fast?” The worry in his voice melted your heart.

“No, no, definitely the opposite. Just, not here. Can we go back to your place? I'd suggest mine, but my roommate is there.” The concern in his eyes was replaced by relief, then hunger. 

“Yeah, my place sounds like a great idea.” You practically ran back to his car. The entire drive was punctuated by little touches and caresses. It seemed like you caught every red light, but you didn't mind too much because at every one, Rob treated you to another face melting kiss. Finally, he pulled into his driveway. It was a pretty nice house, but the view was amazing. He unlocked the front door, and the two of you practically fell inside. Lips met lips and hands roamed. It was as if you were suddenly starved for one another. He walked you backwards, lips never leaving yours, until you reached the stairs. He finally broke the kiss. “You wanna go upstairs?”

“More than you can possibly imagine.” He grinned and grabbed your hand, practically dragging you up the stairs and down the hall to his bedroom. As soon as you were in the room, his lips were on your throat again. His hands slid under your shirt, guitar player's calluses lightly scratching your skin, sending heat straight to your core. You pushed his jacket off his shoulders, and he let go of you to let it drop to the floor. You grabbed the hem of your shirt and pulled it over your head, and he groaned at the sight of you in only your bra. He quickly divested himself of his shirt, and then he was on you again. His lips were like brands on your skin. He kissed along the top edge of your bra, and you felt as well as heard his sharp intake of breath when you reached behind and unclasped it. As soon as you were free of it, he took your nipple into his mouth. You arched, pressing your breasts into his mouth, his hands splayed out on your back, keeping you from falling backwards. He moved to your other nipple, and you moaned. He looked up at you, letting go of your nipple and giving you a devilish grin, then he stood up straight, swung you around, and lowered you to the bed. His hands fumbled with the button of your jeans for a moment, then he pulled them down over your hips and down your legs, bringing your underwear with them. He discarded them, then unbuckled his belt, his eyes never leaving you. You watched his face as his gaze lowered, taking you in. He bit his bottom lip as he pushed his pants down, cock proudly springing free. He was beautiful. He crawled up from the foot of the bed, stopping to run a trail of kisses up each of your inner thighs, stopping just short of where you wanted him most.

“Rob…” Your voice was needier than you'd intended. You felt him smile against your skin before he moved to tease at your slit with his tongue. He began drawing slow, lazy circles around your clit. You moaned at the tiny shockwaves coursing through you. Your hips thrust up of their own accord, so he pinned them down with his hands as he increased the pressure on your clit. Heat pooled in your center, tension increasing and threatening to explode. He alternated sucking and licking your clit, his moustache and beard scratching your sensitive skin, the burn increasing your pleasure. He let go of your hip with one hand and thrust two fingers into you, timing his thrusts with the flick of his tongue. He moved faster, your gasps and moans spurring him on until, finally, the dam burst. Wave after wave of pleasure coursed through you as Rob's movements slowed, guiding you down from your orgasm. When your movements stilled, he looked up at you, a lopsided grin of pride on his face. He began to work his way up your body, kissing your belly, your breasts, then your neck before capturing your lips. The scent of you lingered in his moustache. His tongue explored your mouth as he blindly reached for the nightstand drawer. He fumbled a bit before finally landing on a condom. He got up on his knees, looking triumphant, then tore open the packet and rolled the condom on. He leaned back down and kissed you again, one hand holding himself up while the other guided him toward your entrance. He thrust home, his mouth swallowing your moans as he filled you. He felt so perfect, and you couldn't help but think again that the two of you were made to fit together. Then he began to move, and all thought flew out of your head. You thrust your hips up to meet his, your moans intermingling in sloppy, deep kisses. His pace increased, and you matched it, digging your heels into his ass to push him in deeper. He moved to nip and suck your neck, and you threw your head back to give him better access. The ball of tension in your core tightened. Rob grabbed one of your legs behind the knee and lifted it, changing the angle and hitting your g-spot with every thrust. His pace increased again, and you suddenly exploded, your walls clenching around him. The increased pressure on his cock caused his pace to falter, and with a few more stuttering thrusts, he was spilling into the condom. Spent, he couldn't hold himself up any longer and fell onto you. His weight felt good, and you whimpered a little when he rolled off you. You turned to your side and snuggled against him, lying in the crook of his arm. You absently ran your fingers through the tiny patch of hair on his chest. 

“So, pretty good second date?” The question made you smile. 

“Yeah, you could say that.”

“Next time, I wanna see you in that sundress so I can imagine what it'll be like to take it off the whole time you're wearing it.” You giggled, then planted a little kiss on his pec, which was the closest part of him to your mouth, then snuggled in closer. 

“I think that can be arranged.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trouble's coming...


	3. This House is a Mess

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rob and Reader head back to her hometown for a wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Mentions of emotional abuse, mentions of physical abuse, mention of narcissistic behaviors

**Some Months Later**

You were in the dark. His voice echoed around you. _Worthless…You’re lucky I love you, because no one else ever would..._ You pressed your hands against your ears and curled into a ball, but it wouldn't stop. _Stop being so dramatic...Selfish…What about what I need..._

“Stop it!” You yelled at the top of your voice, and it finally jolted you out of your nightmare. You jerked, crying out.

“Hey, hey, baby. It’s okay. It's okay, I'm right here.” Rob wrapped his arms around you and pulled you tight against him. You tucked your head against his collarbone, and the tears began to flow. He worked to calm you, running his hand over your hair, whispering soothing words, kissing the top of your head. Eventually, your sobs faded to small hiccups, breath hitching. “Another nightmare?” You nodded against his chest. 

“I don't want to go back there, Rob. What if I run into him?” Since your relationship had become serious, you'd told Rob all about your ex-husband. The emotional abuse, how he’d isolated you from your family and friends, and how it all came to a head the night it finally became physical. He'd beaten you, then stormed out of the house. You'd called your father, and he and your brother had dropped everything to come get you. It took all your persuasive skills to keep them from hunting him down and beating the hell out of him. Instead they'd helped you pack your things, then they'd taken you home. Jason hadn't given up without a fight. He'd alternately harassed, threatened, begged, and cajoled to try to get you to come back. You never went anywhere alone. You knew he was watching you. It was the main reason you'd moved to LA. You'd needed to get away, to stop constantly having to look over your shoulder. He'd fought the divorce as well, but it had finally been granted, and he'd been forced to give you a large settlement. Funnily enough, it was part of the settlement that had won the auction that gave you Rob. Your thoughtful, caring, funny, amazing Rob. Your path had sucked, but it had brought you here, and now, you were faced with going back.

“You have to. It's your brother's wedding. I'll be with you the whole time, and I will fight with everything in me to keep that asshole from hurting you ever again.” You knew he meant it, and your heart swelled.

“I know. I love you, Robbie.”

“I love you too, baby. Go back to sleep, okay? I've got you.” You snuggled into him and closed your eyes. 

****

With the exception of a small panic attack right after you boarded the plane, the flight wasn't too bad. Once you arrived, it was a flurry of baggage, shuttle, and car rental. You checked into your hotel and called your mom to let her know you’d arrived. You both showered to wash the travel off. As you walked out of the bathroom, you saw Rob, still wrapped in a towel and staring aimlessly out the window. 

“Hey, you okay?” He turned, worry clouding his eyes. 

“I just realized that I've been so concerned about you, I didn't even think about the fact that I'm about to meet your whole entire family.” He walked over to the bed and flopped down. “What if they hate me?” You climbed on the bed and stretched out on your side next to him, propping yourself up on your elbow and draping your other arm across his stomach.

“They're dying to meet you, and they're going to love you. I do. How could they not?” He lowered his eyes and gave you that aw shucks grin that you always found so adorable, so you leaned over and pressed your lips to his. Your fingers trailed across his stomach, and he shivered.

“Don’t we have to be at your mother's house for dinner soon?”

“Hmm,” You glanced over at the clock on the nightstand, then rolled to straddle him. “I think we have a little time.” You reached up and opened your towel, letting it fall off the side of the bed. His eyes clouded again, this time with desire as he reached up to cup your breasts. You ground yourself against him, but the towel between you couldn't give you the friction you needed, so you reached between you and pulled it away, letting it join yours on the floor. His cock pressed against your wet heat, and you felt him grow hard beneath you. You really didn't have much time, so you skipped the preliminaries and reached down, guiding him to your entrance and sinking down onto him, your tandem moans intermingling. You began to move, rolling your hips. Rob's hands moved from your breasts to your waist, his grip firm. You grabbed his forearms for leverage as you started to bounce, angling yourself so his cock brushed your g-spot with every pass. You stared into his eyes as you felt the tension in your body increase, and your movements faltered. Rob dug his fingers into your waist and bounced you on his cock, snapping his hips up at the same time. You relaxed into the movement, letting gravity and Rob's hands take control. Tension coiled tighter, and you came with a cry as it released, your walls tightening around his shaft. With a few more thrusts, he groaned his release, his movements stuttering as his come filled you. You fell forward, pressing tiny kisses to his jaw, his beard tickling your nose. With one final, chaste, smacking kiss on the lips, you climbed off him. “Okay, get dressed. We gotta go.”

****

Dinner had gone off without a hitch. As you predicted, your family loved Rob. He'd been anxious on the way over, but once you'd arrived, “Con Rob,” as you liked to call him, came out and his nervousness fell away. He was charming and witty, and you were pretty sure your mom had a little crush on him. 

“That went really well.” You closed the car door and buckled up. Rob clicked his seat belt and looked at you. 

“Do you think so? I wasn't too weird or annoying?”

“Hell no! Matter of fact, I'm betting my mom would consider it if you asked her to run away with you.” He paused for a beat, then giggled.

“You've got some competition then, baby, because she's just as pretty as you are.”

“She's way better at mini golf than me, though. She smokes me every time."

“Oh, well then, nevermind. You beat me often enough as it is.” You both chuckled as you backed out of the driveway, not noticing the car down the street that pulled out and followed you. You were completely oblivious as it followed you all the way to your hotel, where it continued on when you pulled into the parking lot.


	4. We All Survive to Make Some Sense of This

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A wedding, and a confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warning: violence, verbal abuse

“Robbie! Come dance with me!” You grabbed his hand and pulled him onto the dance floor, where you wrapped yourselves around one another and started swaying, high school style. You rested your head on his shoulder. “What a nice wedding.”

“It was. They look so happy.” He sighed. “We should get married.” Your head snapped up, eyes wide. Your heart pounded. You hadn't even been dating a year. The idea was crazy, right? You had to say something.

“What?” He stammered a little before responding.

“I, uh, well, I've been thinking about it. I mean, this wasn't how I meant to do it. It just kind of came out.” He looked at you, nervousness, fear, hope, and love all warring to control his expression. You realized in that moment that you not only wanted, but needed to spend the rest of your life with this man. He made you feel treasured, wanted, truly loved. He made you want to be the best person you could be.

“I agree. We should.” His eyes widened, then his grin lit up the room.

“Really?”

“Yeah, really! But hey, let's not tell anyone until tomorrow.” You jerked your head toward the blissful newlyweds. “I don't want to steal their thunder.” He nodded, understanding.

“Can I at least show you the ring?”

"There's a ring?” He blushed.

“Uh, yeah, I've had it for a couple months, maybe. I wanted everything to be perfect. I guess I kind of fucked that one up. It's out in the car.” You shook your head, snickering.

“I swear, Robert, only you would carry around a ring for months, trying to plan the perfect proposal, then just end up randomly saying, “Hey, let's get married.”

“Sorry.” You gave him a little peck on the lips.

“Don't be. That’s exactly what made it perfect. It was uniquely, quintessentially you. Go get it and meet me in that little lounge off the entrance.” He grinned and stepped back, turning toward the door and rushing off. You chuckled and headed over to the bar, where you grabbed two flutes of champagne, then sat down on a little sofa in the small lounge. You pulled out your phone and started messing around while you waited, posting some reception pictures. After a little while you realized that Rob had been gone for a long time. Leaving the champagne on an end table, you left the reception hall and turned to the parking lot. That's when you heard it.

“No! You don't get to have her! She's mine, and she always will be!” Turning the corner, your heart leapt into your throat and your stomach dropped. It was Jason. He had Rob backed up against a car. He was red faced and yelling. Rob had his hands up, trying not to escalate the situation. You moved closer, afraid to startle the two men.

“Look, man, I'm sure we can talk this out. Just put down the knife, okay?” A knife? Jason had a knife? Oh, God. You felt like you were going to throw up. What were you going to do? You had to step in. You tried to make your voice calm and soft. You realized as you spoke that it was the same voice you always used when he got bad.

“Jason?” He turned his head, still keeping Rob pinned to the car.

“Well, there she is. The little slut. You think you've been so slick avoiding me since you've been back, but I've had my eye on you since you showed up at your mother's house. I thought we could talk, then you showed up with this asshole. Now I see him getting a ring box out of the car? You think you're going to marry this guy? You know he's just going to throw you away when he realizes what a whore you are.” You cringed. That familiar fear boiled in your belly, but it was worse, more intense. It wasn't just you in danger. Rob didn't deserve any of this, and you'd put him in a life threatening situation.

“Look, Jason, let's talk now, okay? Just step away from him, and we'll talk.” You approached them slowly, hands out. “Let him go, Jason. Please. This is between us.” For a moment, you thought it worked. Jason took a step away, and you almost breathed a sigh of relief. In a flash, he lunged. Rob crumpled, hands clutching his stomach, blood seeping between his fingers. “NO!” The scream that tore from your throat was so loud it physically hurt, but you didn't care. You ran toward him, but Jason backhanded you, flinging you to the ground. He turned, looming over Rob, holding the knife toward him.

“HEY!” Jason's head snapped up. At the sight of about two dozen wedding guests, led by your father and brother, Jason turned and ran. Several guests took off after him. You scrambled up, running to Rob and falling to the ground at his side. It vaguely registered that you were probably going to be picking gravel out of your knees for days, but you were numb to the pain. You cupped Rob's cheek. He gave you a weak smile in return.

“Hang in there, baby.” You turned to the remaining crowd. “Someone call an ambulance!” They assured you they already had, then you focused all your attention on Rob. “You're gonna be okay.”

“I'm not gonna lie. Turns out, getting stabbed really hurts. A lot. I'd probably describe it as a sharp pain, well, more of a stabbing pain, really.” You shook your head.

“Always with the jokes, Benedict.” He gave you the weak smile again. He was trying to be strong, but you could tell he was in a whole lot of pain. You moved his hands and pulled his shirt open to see the damage. The wound was oozing blood, and it was pretty big. You hoped it was just a flesh wound.

“Can't help it. It's hard wired.”

“Shhh. Just rest until the ambulance gets here. When you talk, it bleeds more.” He nodded. As you looked around for something to staunch the flow of blood, you heard the sirens approaching, then the lights as the ambulance turned into the parking lot, followed by the police. The EMTs worked quickly, getting compression on his wound and loading him into the ambulance. You climbed in with him, sitting in the corner near his head, watching the EMTs work. That's when the tears came, and you silently cried all the way to the hospital.

****

You sat on the plastic chair in a corner of the tiny ER room, waiting for them to bring Rob back. They wanted to do some scans to make sure his organs hadn't been nicked, so they wheeled him out and left you sitting there, clutching the plastic bag of Rob's belongings you'd been handed as you exited the ambulance. You opened it and began assessing what was too bloody or torn and what was salvageable. Shame about the suit. It was a nice gray, and it looked great on him. As you pulled out his pants, you felt a weight. There was something in the pocket. The ring box. God, the ring! You'd forgotten all about it. You dropped back into the chair, hands shaking a little as you opened the box. It was a beautiful ring, very tasteful and understated, but how could you accept it now? Would he even want you to? You nearly got him killed. You wouldn't be surprised if he never wanted to see you again. Rob was going to break up with you, and Jason was just going to keep ruining your life forever. You set the box on the counter and stood up when you heard the rattle of a gurney by the door. Rob smiled when he saw you.

“Hey! Looks like I lucked out. No organs or major blood vessels hit, so I'll be good to go.” He was going to be okay. Relief washed over you.

“Alright, Mr. Benedict. We'll process your discharge paperwork and get you out of here soon.” The nurse parked his bed and left the room. You saw Rob's eyes settle on the counter.

“Oh, hey! The ring! Did you look at it? Do you like it?”

“I do, it's beautiful, but…” His face fell.

“But what?”

“But, Rob, should we really get married? I mean, you could've been killed tonight, and it was all my fault. If you're with me, there's always going to be a chance something could happen again. Do you really want to live with that always looming over you? You deserve way better than that, way better than me.” He shook his head, motioning with his hand.

“Come here.” You approached the bed, and he grabbed your hand, pulling it to his mouth and kissing it, then holding it tight. “I don't want to ever hear you say you're not good enough for me ever again. This? It was not your fault. It was that lunatic’s fault.”

“But I -” He cut you off.

“But nothing. You fell in love with someone who turned out to be a psycho piece of shit. That's not your fault either. If you'd known the real him, you wouldn't have. Guys like that are really good at hiding it until they don't want to anymore. You don't deserve to be punished for that decision for the rest of your life, and neither do I. We both deserve to be happy together. So, are you going to let me put a ring on it, or what?” Tears pricked your eyes.

“How did I get so lucky?”

“I ask myself the same thing every time I see your face. Ring?” You sniffled a little, swiping at the couple tears that had managed to leak out, and nodded. He let go of you so you could grab the box and hand it to him. He pulled out the ring, it really was beautiful, and slipped it on your finger. It was a perfect fit. “I snuck one of your rings out and took it to the jewelry store so it would be the right size. Now that it’s there, I don't want there to ever be a reason for you to take it off.”

“What if we decide to have a baby, and my fingers get all fat and sausagey?”

“I guess you could wear it around your neck in that case, but that's the only reason.” He reached up to cup your cheek, then pulled you down for a tender kiss. “Ow! Ow! Okay, guess I gotta be more careful.” You gazed fondly into one another's eyes until you heard a short knock on the door. It opened, and your father’s head popped through the gap.

“Hey, you two. How you doing?” He entered the room, followed by your mom and brother. “You know, Jackass is right down the hall. He's got a police escort, though.”

“Yeah,” your brother added. “We kind of had a hard time subduing him before the police came. He might have a broken bone. Or four.”

“Guys…” You sighed. “Thanks. I know you've wanted to do that for a long time.”

“Hell yeah we have!” They high fived. You just shook your head.

“Sorry this ruined the wedding.”

“Oh, it didn't ruin anything. Everyone else is still there partying, and I'll be heading back shortly to pick up my baby and head for our honeymoon. We just wanted to bring you your car and make sure everything was okay.” Your mom came up to stand next to you at Rob's bedside.

“You okay?” She started doing a mom inspection of him.

“Yeah, I'll be right as rain. He didn't hit anything important.” Fast as lightning, she snatched your hand and held it up, questioning.

“So, yeah. We didn’t want to tell anyone until tomorrow.” After congratulations, handshakes, and hugs, the three of them left to go back to the reception. Rob grabbed your hand and carefully pulled you closer to him. You leaned over the bed and put your head on his shoulder.

“You know this isn't over, right? We may have to go to court.” He reached up and ran his fingers through your hair.

“So we'll go to court, then he'll go to jail, and then we'll be free of him.”

“You really think it'll be that easy?”

“I do, but if it isn't, we'll deal with it.” You stood up and reached for the bag with his stuff.

“So, there was one casualty in this whole thing. Your suit didn't make it. It's a shame. With all the dried blood it's not really gray anymore. It's more of a…” you gave him a side eyed glance, “brown and gray.” He glared at you.

“You suck!”

“Brown and gray.”


End file.
